Handy hut

ABSTRACT

Disclosed is a safe and portable tent which can be set up on a natural tree in a mountain or in a camp site without the need of cutting down trees or leveling the ground, and which can be assembled and disassembled easily. 
     This tent comprises a support frame 3, seating plate 4 laid thereon, a collapsible support plate 2 having a support frame 3, a seating plate 4 laid thereon and stanchions 5 erected at the four corners and intermediate points of the frame and connected together by a life line 5&#39; and a tent 1 spread over the support base 2. The support frame 3 is coupled to a mid-level fixing ring 7 by means of a coupling member 6 and its outer end is supported by supporting rods 8 coupled to a lower fixing ring 7. The central stanchion 5 near the base end of the support base 2 is longer than the other stanchions. Ropes for supporting the tent 1 extends between the top of the long stanchions and the tops of the stanchions at the corners and a glass fiber rod 18 is provided to extend between the tops of the long stanchion and the outer central stanchion 5 . The tent 1 and a hat canvas 1&#39; are supported thereon. A hanger 28 is provided on the upper fixing ring 7. When the tent is not in use, it is placed and stored on the hanger 28.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This invention relates to a hut or tent used by securing it to a tree ina forest.

BACKGROUND ART

When camping in mountains or the like, a tent pitched on the ground isused. In assembling such a conventional tent, supporting rods are put upon the four corners of the camp site, a waterproof tent is spread overthe site, riggings such as ropes are connected to stakes driven in theground and erecting the tent by pulling the supporting rods at theirends.

But, since such a conventional tent is usually erected on the ground, ifone has to spend a night in such a tent pitched deep in a mountain, hemight be attacked by snakes or bears. Thus, it is sometimes verydangerous to pitch a tent on the ground. Also, in order to use a certainarea in a mountain as a camp site for erecting a tent, one has to cutdown trees and level the ground so that the place can be used as a campsite. Such work tends to incur much cost and leads to the destruction ofnature.

Further, in order to pitch such a tent, one has to use various kinds ofand a large number of accessory parts such as supporting rods and ropes.When assembling a tent, such parts have to be placed in predeterminedpositions in predetermined order. Such work is troublesome andcomplicated.

This invention was made in view of the problems of the conventionaltents and its object is to provide a tent which can be mounted on a treein a forest by mounting a support frame having a simple structure on thetree and by spreading a tent over the frame, and which requires nocutting of trees nor leveling of the ground.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

According to this invention, there is provided a tent comprising asupport base having a support frame large enough for a person to liethereon, a seating plate laid on the frame, and stanchions erected atthe four corners and intermediate points of the support frame, amid-level fixing ring secured to a tree for coupling a base end of thesupport base to the tree, a lower fixing ring secured to the tree at apoint lower than the support base for coupling an outer end of thesupport base to the tree, supporting rods that extend between the outerend of the support base and the fixing ring corresponding thereto, atleast one of the stanchions being longer than the other stanchions, anda tent spread over the top of the long stanchion and the tops of theother stanchions.

This tent can be attached to a tree of a suitable size at any desiredplace in a forest.

In mounting, the fixing rings are secured to a tree. The support basecoupled to the fixing rings is supported on the support member to fix itin position. By spreading the tent over the support plate thus securelyfixed to the tree, the tent is assembled. Since the rings are designedso that the bark is not tightened directly, they never inhibit thegrowth of the tree.

Since this tent is attached to a tree at a middle height thereof, byclimbing into the tent like a bird getting into its own nest, one isperfectly safe against external enemies.

The tent according to the embodiment has a stanchion longer than theother stanchions and ropes extending between the top of the longstanchion and the tops of the other stanchions. The tent is supported onthe ropes, so that it is prevented from sagging between support points.

Also, the tent according to the embodiment may have an upper fixing ringat a point higher than the mid-level fixing ring. Guys are providedbetween this ring and the support base and between the mid-level fixingring and the support base to prevent the support base from rotating.

Other features are described with reference to the embodiment.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an external view of an embodiment of the tent,

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the assembled support base,

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the support base with the skirt canvasremoved,

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of an essential portion of the tent,

FIG. 5 is a detailed view of the center stanchion near the top,

FIG. 6 is a plan view of the support base,

FIG. 7 is a bottom view of the fixing ring,

FIG. 8 is a detailed view of the fixing ring, and

FIG. 9 is a detailed view of the coupling portion of the support base.

BEST MODE FOR EMBODYING THE INVENTION

We shall now describe an embodiment of this invention with reference tothe accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 shows the external appearance of the tent according to thisinvention. Numeral 1 designates a tent or hut, 1' a hat canvas, 7 afixing ring, 28 a hanger, 24 a skirt canvas and X a tree.

As shown in FIGS. 2-4, the tent of this embodiment has a support base 2under the tent 1. The support base 2 has a support frame 3 large enoughfor a person to be able to lie flat thereon. As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7,the support frame 3 comprises longitudinal, lateral and diagonal frames.On the support frame 3, a plurality of seating plates 4 are placed.Stanchions 5 are erected at the four corners and intermediate points ofthe support frame 3. They are connected together at their tops andmid-points by life lines 5'.

The support base 2 is coupled to the mid-level fixing ring 7 through acoupling member 6 provided at the base end of the support base 2. Aplurality of supporting rods 8 are provided to extend obliquely betweenthe lower fixing ring 7 and the outer end of the support base throughcouplings 9 and 10. The support base 2 is thus fixed to the tree.

Of the stanchions 5 provided on the support base 2, the center stanchion5 near the base end of the support base (see FIG. 3) is about twice aslong as the other stanchions 5. This stanchion is shown in greaterdetail in FIG. 5.

As shown in the figure, the center stanchion 5 comprises a shortstanchion 11 which is of substantially the same height as the mid-pointsof the other stanchions and a long stanchion 12 connected to the shortone. Its entire length is adjustable. The length-adjusting mechanismcomprises nuts 13 and 14 provided at the top of the stanchion 11 and thebottom end of the stanchion 12 and a bolt 15 threaded into both nuts.

Near the top end of the stanchion 12, there are provided an eye bolt 16and a swivel-carrying shackle 17 thereover. To the eye bolt 16 isconnected, as shown in FIG. 4, a single glass fiber rod 18, which iscoupled at the other end to the top of the stanchion 5 at the outer end.The glass fiber rod 18 has a length such that when mounted, it curvesslightly upward, so as to provide as spacious a tent interior aspossible.

To the above-described center stanchion 5 are connected, besides theglass fiber rod 18, ropes 19 for pitching the tent that extend from thecorner stanchions 5 (see FIG. 2).

The tent 1 is spread over the ropes 19 and the glass fiber rod 18 asshown in FIGS. 4 and 5.

The tent 1 is in the shape of a quadrangular pyramid and has on eachside zippers 20 defining a window. Inside each window is provided anunillustrated screen. The hat canvas 1' is put on top of the tent 1.

FIG. 5 shows the detailed structure near the top of the center stanchion5 with the hat canvas 1' put on the tent 1. As shown, the tent 1 isspread by connecting the ends of ropes 21 inserted through cornersformed in the respective sides of the tent 1 to the shackle 17. The hatcanvas 1' to be put thereon is secured in position by connecting theends of a rope 22 to the shackle 17. 23 is a zipper provided in thecenter of the backside of the tent 1, defining an entrance/exit.

The skirt canvas 24 extends the entire circumference of the tent outsidethe stanchions 5. 25 and 26 are guys for preventing the support base 2from rotating. The guy 25 is provided between the support base 2 and theupper fixing ring 7 and the guy 26 is between the support base 2 and themid-level fixing ring 7.

As shown in FIG. 4, the upper fixing ring 7 is secured to the tree X ata point slightly above the top of the tent 1. To the fixing ring 7 ismounted a hanger 28 through a coupling portion 27. When not in use, thetent 1 is folded and stored on the hanger 28.

FIG. 8 shows the details of the fixing rings 7 and FIG. 9 shows thedetails of the coupling member 6. Each fixing ring 7 comprises fourequally divided ring parts and its diameter is adjustable according tothe diameter of the tree X by adjusting its collars 29. A plurality ofeye bolts 30 and 31 are provided at predetermined pitches.

When mounting, the eye bolts 30 are tightened until the fixing ring 7 issecurely fixed to the tree X. A bracket 6' as the coupling member 6provided at the base end of the support base 2 is coupled to one of theeye bolts 31. Another eye bolt 31 is provided at diametrically oppositeposition, so that two sets of tents can be coupled to a single fixingring 7.

The above-described tent of this embodiment is set up on a tree X of asuitable thickness in a mountain. The tent is set up at a height atwhich one can climb in. In a dangerous area, it is mounted at as high aplace as possible.

In mounting, the upper, middle and lower fixing rings 7 are securelyfixed to the tree X. The support base 2 is coupled to the middle fixingring 7, the supporting rods 8 to the lower fixing ring 7 and the rod 18,ropes 19 and guys 25 to the upper fixing ring. The framework of the tentis thus assembled. The tent is completed by spreading the tent over thethus assembled support base 2. When not in use, as shown in FIGS. 2 and3, the tent 1 is rolled up and put on the hanger 28. In use, the tent 1is unloaded from the hanger 28 and spread over the support base 2.

Steps or handles may be secured to the tree X beforehand so that one canclimb into the tent 1 easily. Using the steps and the like, one climbsthe tree and enters into the tent. If it is hot, the zippers 20 may belowered to open the windows.

When using the above-described tent in a camp site or the like, it maybe kept attached to a tree throughout the camping season. At the end ofthe season, it can be disassembled and stored in a storage place.

In the above embodiment, the support base 2 is supported by thesupporting rods 8. But it may be suspended from the upper fixing ring.Also, in the embodiment, the tent is quadrangular prism-shaped. But itmay be dome-shaped or of any other shape.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICATION

In use, the tent according to the present invention, as described abovein detail, is suspended from a tree in a camp site in a forest or thelike. As the case may be, two such tents may be secured to a singletree.

The cover of this tent may be made of a cloth or a canvas made ofsynthetic fiber. The support base and the fixing rings are typicallymade of a metal. Such tents may be set up in a great number in a campsite or the like.

I claim:
 1. A tent comprising a support base having a support framehaving four corners and intermediate points large enough for a person tolie thereon, a seating plate laid on said frame, and stanchions erectedat the four corners and intermediate points of said support frame, amid-level fixing ring securable to a tree for coupling a base end ofsaid support base to the tree, a lower fixing ring securable to the treeat a point lower than said support base for coupling an outer end ofsaid support base to the tree, supporting rods that extend between theouter end of said support base and the fixing ring correspondingthereto, at least one of said stanchions being longer than the otherstanchions, and a tent spreadable over the top of said long stanchionand the tops of said other stanchions.
 2. A tent as claimed in claim 1,further comprising ropes connecting the top of said long stanchion tothe tops of said other stanchions for supporting said tent.
 3. A tent asclaimed in claim 1, further comprising an upper fixing ring securable tothe tree at a point higher than said mid-level fixing ring, and guysprovided between said upper fixing ring and said support base andbetween said mid-level fixing ring and said support base, whereby saidsupport base is prevented from rotating.
 4. A tent as claimed in claim1, further comprising a hanger provided on the end of said upper fixingring, whereby said tent can be wound around said hanger when not in use.